Adjustable stool



A ril 25, 1950 R. R. CRAMER ADJUSTABLE STOOL Filed April 30, 1948 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 25, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE STOOL Richard R. Oramer, Dayton, Ohio Application April 30, 1948, Serial No. 24,332

3 'Claims.

1 My present invention comprises a novel construction of adjustable stool wherein the seat member ismounted for raising and lowering adjustments thereof relative to the supporting means therefor. Such stools are useful for the seating of aperson at drafting tables, and for various purposes are useful to housewives in the kitchen, and clerks and cashiers who sit behind counters and cash registers in mercantile establishments and in various other circumstances.

It is an object of my invention to provide such a stool in which the seatmember may be readily raised or lowe'redfor adjustments to the desired height.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for enabling the raising and lowering adjustment of the seat member relative to its supporting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide I improved control means for facilitating the raising and lowering operation of the seat member.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for adjustment of the seat member relative to the main s pp r n means, and control means therefor, which are of relatively simple construction, easy'to operate, enable very rapid raising and lowering action, and provide for supporting adjustments of the seat member at exactly the desired height.

In accordance with my invention I provide a stool of the above type in which fluid pressure means is interposed between the seat member and the supporting'means therefor, whereby the seat member is supported in its adjusted position upon a confined body of fluid, and valve means operative to permit fluid to pass into or out of the confining space during raising or lowering of theseat member and normally operative to maintain the fluid in the confining space for retaining the seat member at the desired adjustment. 1 provide control means for the valve means operative to condition the latter for permitting movement of the fluid into or out of the confining space for raising and lcwering adjustment of the seat member relative to the supporting means.

In accordance with my --invention 1 contemplate the provision of spring means interposed between the supporting means and the seat member and operative to efiect raising movement of the latter subject to the control of the valve means. The said valve means includes a freely movable valve member automatically movable to difierent valve closing "positions under normal conditions when the control means is not being operated. In one of the valve closing positions the seat member is prevented frOm being raised by action of the spring means when there is no weight on the seat member. In the other valve closing position the seat member is prevented from being lowered by downward pressure thereon. The automatic movement of the valve member from one to the-other of the said valve closing positions serves to maintain the seat member in the adjusted'position.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will appear from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanyi-ng drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stool embodying my invention, parts being shown in section and illustrating the means for adjustably supporting the seat member relative to its supporting means, including the fluid pressure means, the spring means, the valve means, and the control means for the latter.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the device illustrating more particularly the operation-of the valve means and showing the valve member moved to neutral position by operation of the control means for raising or lowering movement of the seat member relative to its supporting means.

Figure '3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the normal condition of the valve means when the control means is not being operated, the valve member being shown in full lines as when positioned in one of its valve closing positions, and said figure illustrating by dotted lines the positioning of the valvemember in the other of its valve closing positions.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing more particularly a portion of the com trol means.

Now referring tojthe drawings and describing the invention inde'ta'iLthe stool illustrated comprises a seat member-generally designated by the letter A and supporting means therefor generally designated by the letter B and comprising the legs i, four of which are provided and suitably joined together to afiord a rigid supporting frame structure. The'legs i "may be conveniently formed of metal tubing and secured together by means of a tubular ring '2 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the legs 5 adjacent the lower ends thereof. The upper ends of the legs i may be joined together by means of the cylindrical retainer member 3 to which the upper ends of the legs -I are bolted or otherwise suitably secured.

Fluid pressure means is interposed between the seat member A and the supporting means B and comprises cooperating piston and cylinder elements associating the seat member A with the supporting means B for relative movement of said seat member upwardly and downwardly relative to said supporting member. To this end, the cylinder retainer member 3 has force-fitted into the bore thereof the cylinder 4, the lower end of which is closed as at and. provided with a filler plug 6 for filling the cylinder with oil or other suitable fluid. The upper end of the cylinder 4 has a, cap 1 through which the piston sleeve 8 extends. The piston sleeve 8 forms a part of the piston member generally indicated by the numeral 9 and the lower end of which is provided with the piston head Ill and the piston guide member l I, the elements It and II working within the cylinder 4. The cylinder cap I is provided with the sealing ring E2 of suitable resilient material engaging the piston sleeve 8 to prevent leakage of fluid from the cylinder 4. The piston guide member II has an annular groove 53 in which is received a similar sealing ring it of similar resilient material engaging the interior wall of the cylinder 4 to prevent leakage of fluid from the interior of the cylinder 4 below the guide member H to the interior of the cylinder above the guide member I I.

The cylinder l is designed to have fluid confined therein, and for this purpose a liquid I5, such as oil or the like, commonly employed in hydraulic devices, is availed of, said liquid l5 being introduced to the interior of the cylinder through .the filling aperture closed by the filler plug 6. A

portion of the liquid [5 is confined within the cylinder 4 below the guide member M, which functions as a part of the piston head l8, and this confined body of liquid acting upon the piston head l0 and guide member H serves to support the seat member A at adjusted positions of movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the supporting means 13. Valve means is provided which controls the passage of fluid from the interior of the cylinder ll below the piston head IE2, H, to the interior of the piston sleeve 8 above the piston head It], H, and vice versa, said valve means being normally operative to prevent such fiow of fluid and thus maintain a confined body of fluid below the piston head Hi, i i within the cylinder 4 for supporting the seat member A at its adjusted position. The valve means is subject to control by suitable control means to be described, to permit passage of fluid from the interior of the cylinder 4 below the piston head IE, I l to the interior of the sleeve 8 above the piston head i ii, I I for enabling raising and lowering movement of the seat A relative to the supporting means B.

Now describing the valve means, the piston vhead H1 is provided with an interior valve chamthe interior of the cylinder below the guide member i portion of the piston head. The inner -or chamber ends of the ports or passages l8 and I9 are suitably tapered as at 18a and I 9a, respectively, to facilitate seating of the valve member 1! for closing of the ports l8 and E9.

The control means for the valve member l1 includes an actuating member or rod 20 having adjacent its lower end a portion 20a of reduced diameter and having a valve engaging head portion Ebb at the extreme lower end thereof, the said valve engaging head 201) being of larger diameter than the reduced shank portion 20a for ensuring engagement with the valve member H. The valve engaging head 20b and a portion of the reduced shank 20a are normally adapted to lie within the passage l8 as shown in Figure 3 and may pass through said passage I8 into the chamber it as shown in Figure 2, the valve engaging head 29b being of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the passage 18 to permit movement through the passage, and the reduced shank portion 2M being of considerably smaller diameter than the passage 18 to readily permit flow of fluid through the passage l8 to and from the chamber l6 when the actuating member is positioned as shown in Figure 2, with the valve engaging head portion 20b disposed within the chamber 16. The reduced shank portion 290, is of suificient length, longer than the length of the passage I8, to ensure that there will be unobstructed flow through the passage !8 to and from the chamber I6 when the actuating member is moved downwardly to its extreme limit of downward movement with the head 2% engaging the valve member I! to hold the latter against the bottom of the chamber l6 as shown in Figure 2.

The upper end of the actuating rod 20 slidingly extends through the bore of a plug 2| force-fitted into the upper end of the sleeve 8 Actuating rod 29 is biased upwardly to the position shown at Figure 3 by means of spring 22 engaging washers 23 and 24 slidingly mounted on rod 20, washer 23 being retained on rod 22 by nut 25 threaded onto rod 2!]. Plug 2i carries a flexible sealing member 26 (on which washer 24 rests) closely fitting around rod '20 to prevent leakage of fluid from sleeve 8.

The upper end of the piston sleeve 8 is received in a suitable socket provided in the retaining .zember 2? which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the seat member A, the sleeve 3 being retained in association with the socket portion of retaining member 21 by means of screws 23.

The control means also includes a manually operable control member carried by the seat member A and comprising a rod 29 extending transversely through the hollow retaining member 21, said retaining member 21 being provided with up wardly and downwardly elongated slots 30 and 3| in the wall thereof and transversely or horizontally aligned for receiving the manual control rod 29 passing therethrough. For retaining the rod 29 in proper position, the same is provided with lugs 32 engageable with the retaining member exteriorly thereof. The slots 30 and 3| are so disposed that the rod 29 rests upon the nut 25 carrled at the upper end of the actuating rod 29. A circular ring member 33 is suitably secured to the transverse rod 29 and is of a diameter approximating that of or slightly less than that of the seat member A, serving, in conjunction with the transverse rod member 9, to provide a manual control member which may be readily manipulated from any point around the stool. Lugs 34 are secured to the under side of the seat member A at various points and are provided at their lower ends with horizontally inwardly extending flange portions 34 engaging under the circular ring 33 for supporting same in position ready for actuation.

A coil spring 35 :is provided in the lower "end of the cylinder "4, one end of the :spring 35 en- :gaging the lower .endioi the cylinder s end-the ried thereby upwardly relative to the supporting :means B.

In operation, fluid I5 is introduced to the interior of .the cylinder 4, filling the space within said cylinder 4 below the guide member H portion of the piston head, and said fluid is' introduced to the interior of the piston sleeve 8 at least to a height above the top surface of the plug 12 when "the guide member H is engagement with the top plug member l2. The spring member 35 is-of course under compression at alltimes within the cylinder A. Assuming that the seat member A 'is positioned at some point intermediate its limits of upward and downward movement and that i the control means 2039,33 is not being actuated, the seat member A will be supported at such position by the confined body of fluid l5 confined within the cylinder 4 below the guide member H portion of the piston head. 'If there is no weight being exerted upon the seat A, the force of the spring 35 tends to push the piston 9 upwardly, which, but for the operation or" the valve member ll, would tend to "cause leakage of fluid from the interior of the sleeve 8 through the valve passage l8, chamber l6, and valve passage is to the interior oi the cylinder-below the guide member I l portion of the piston head, permitting the force of the spring 35 to raise the piston 9 and seat member A carried thereby. "However, the tendency, under "the condition mentioned, for fluid to move from the interior of the sleeve 8 through the valve means to the interior of the cylinder 4 below the guide portion H causes the ball valve member i! to seat itself in the seat portion [9a of the port 19, thereby closing the latter port and preventing movement of fluid just referred to, so that the action of the spring 35 tending to raise the piston 9 and seat member A carried thereby is prevented (due to suction under guide member l!) by the automatic operation of the valve member ll closing the port l9.

' Now, if weight is exerted upon the seat member A as by a person sitting upon the same, this weight tends to push the seat member A and piston 9 downwardly relatively to the cylinder 4 against the action of the spring 35. This condition tends to force the fluid confined in the cylinder 4 below the guide member ll portion of the piston head through the passage i9 into the chamber l6, unseating the valve member I! from the port !9, the fluid tending to be forced from the chamber Iii through the passage IE to the interior of the sleeve 8. This tendency of the fluid to be forced in the direction just mentioned causes the valve member H to be moved to the dotted line position of Figure 3, seating itself in the seat lea, thereby closing the port 58, thus preventing downward movement of the piston 9 and seat A carried thereby, which downward movement tends to be caused by the weight of the person sitting upon the seat A. Thus, the piston 9 and seat A carried thereby will, under this condition, be supported by the body of fluid within the cylinder A confined below the valve mem ber ll seated inthe seat lBa, closing the port It. Thus it will be seen that under either of the conditions just above described, the seat member A will be maintained in the position to which it member A at the adjusted position.

"has been adjusted by reason of the automatic operation of the valve member ll! When is is desired to raise or lower the seat member A to adjust the same to a different height relative to the supporting means B, the control means for the 'valve member I? is actuated by engaging the ring 33 at any point in its circumference and lifting upwardly thereon.

This will cause the control rod 29 to fulcrum against the upper end of one of the slots at or 3!, causing the control rod '29 to exert downward pressure on the nut 25 and actuating member '25) against the action of the spring 22, causing the Valve engaging head 2% to engage the valve member I7 and press the same downwardly against the bottom of the chamber is, thereby maintaining both the ports it and i9 open or flow of fluid through said ports and through the valve chamber It in either direction. Under this condition the seat member A may be raised or lowered to its desired position, after which the control'mcmber 33 is released, leaving the valve member ll free to move to close either of the ports 18 Or is, thereby to maintain the seat While the control means is being operated to cause the actuating member 2% to engage the valve member H to move the same to theneutral position shown in Figure 2 for raising and lowering movement of the seat member A, if the seat member A is raised fluid [5 will flow or move from the interior of the sleeve 8 through the passage iii, chamber l fi, and port it, to the interior of the cylinder l below the guide member H, thereby increasing the height of the confined body of fluid in the cylinder fi'below the guide member! I. If, under the same condition of operation of the control means, the seat member A is lowered, fluid i5 will move from the interior of the cylinder 4 below the guide portion I l in the opposite direction through the port l9, chamber l6, and port 58, to the interior of the sleeve 8.

It will be understood also that the action of the spring 35, when the valve member H is held in the neutral position of Figure 2 and there is no weight on seat A, is to raise the seat A so that the upward movement of the seat A is substantially accomplished by the above mentioned control manipulation of the control member 33 without exerting outside force to lift up the seat A. Similarly, a person sitting upon the seat A may cause lowering movement thereof by his weight accompanied by the aforementioned control manipulation of the control member 33.

Having thus described by invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, a movable seat member, stationary supporting means therefor, cooperating piston and cylinder elements, one of said elements being secured to said movable member and the other of said elements being secured to said supporting means, said cylinder having fluid therein to support the seat carrying element at different positions respecting said supporting means, said piston element being hollow and having a head working in said cylinder and said head having a passage providing fluid communication between the space below the piston head and the space in the piston above the head, valve means operable to prevent and to permit movement of fluid through said passage, and spring means arranged to bias the piston and cylinder elements for movement relatively to one another when the valve means is conditioned to permit movement of fluid through said passage, said valve means including a valve chamber in said passage, and having ports communicating therewith, a valve member normally freely movable in said chamber to a position closing one of said ports for preventing movement of fluid through said passage in one direction upon application of force tending to cause relative movement of said elements in one direction, said valve member being also freely movable to another position closing another of said ports for preventing movement of fluid through said passage in an opposite direction upon application of force tending to cause relative movement of said elements in an opposite direction.

2. A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, a movable seat member, stationary supportin means therefor, cooperating piston and cylinder elements, one of said elements being secured to said movable member and the other of said elements being secured to said supporting means, said cylinder having fluid therein to support the seat carrying element at different positions respecting said supporting means, said piston element being hollow and having a head working in said cylinder and said head having a passage providing fluid communication between the space below the piston head and the space in the piston above the head, valve means operable to prevent and to permit movement of fluid through said passage, and spring means arranged to bias the piston and cylinder elements for movement relatively to one another when the valve means is conditioned to permit movement of fluid through said passage, the

said piston and cylinder elements being arranged for relative movement upwardly and downwardly and said spring means being arranged to bias the seat carrying element for movement thereof upwardly relative to the supporting means, said valve means including a valve chamber in said passage, and having ports communicating there with, a valve member normally freely movable in said chamber to a position closing one of said ports for preventing movement of fluid through said passage from the space above said piston head to the space below the same, thereby preventing upward movement of the seat carrying element by action of said spring means, said valve member being also normally freely movable to another position closing another of said ports for preventing movement of said fluid through said passage from the space below said piston head to the space above the same for preventing downward movement of said seat carrying element upon application of force thereto tending to cause downward movement thereof.

3. A device as in claim 2, and control means operable to condition the valve means for permitting movement of fluid through said passage.

RICHARD R. CRAMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,218,963 Stephenson Oct. 22, 1940 2,446,127 Cramer July 27, 1948 

